Plegian Mage
by blankprofe
Summary: Following Henry's time in the elite Plegian Academy of Magic, and his eventual run in with the Shepherds.
1. Chapter 1

Dark Academy

He wasn't always like this. At one point in his life, he was a happy child, capable of laughing, crying. At a glance he was entirely ordinary.

But there was always something off about him. A certain affinity for the darker aspects of magic, a lack of empathy towards those in pain.

As he grew older, his powers grew. Uncontrollable spats of magic became more frequent, and his parents feared for their lives.

They abandoned young Henry in the forest lining the outskirts of their village, in hopes that the young boy's wayward spells would harm none but the caster.

Unfortunately for them, Henry met a particularly friendly murder of crows who were more than happy to lead the boy back home. And so he returned, entering the village in an unholy swirl of feathers, scaring more than a few of the residents.

His parent's second attempt at abandoning the boy fared no better. Henry did spend a few weeks in the forest this time, and in the process befriending a wolf who dutifully trailed Henry wherever he went.

Eventually, Henry decided to return home, his new friend in tow. However, before Henry could introduce his companion to the villagers, he found an arrow lodged in the wolf's throat.

A shocking homecoming for the 10 year old. Enraged, the spike in emotion allowed Henry to avenge his fluffy friend, and in the process he killed more than a dozen of the villagers in his way.

Fascinated at the glimmering red that dripped slowly down his small pale hands, a smile crept onto Henry's face. And this is where his parents found him. Laughing in a puddle of stranger's blood, as a good portion of the village burned behind him.

Terrified, Henry's parents scrambled for options. Throwing him to the wolves obviously wasn't working, and attempting to kill the boy just wasn't an option.

Instead, they decided to ship him off to an elite magic school. Perhaps honing Henry's magical abilities wasn't the best idea, but as long as he was far away, they didn't care.

And so Henry found himself being sent to the premier magical academy in Plegia.

Without as much as a backwards glance, his parents placed him on the next convoy to the academy.

Young Henry watched as his hometown grew smaller, unaware that this was the last time he would lay eyes on it.

Days of traveling past, and Henry grew bored. Luckily, the crows he'd befriended decided to follow him. He found some comfort in watching the murder circle slowly over the convoy.

Arriving at the academy was a shock. The looming stone castle was the largest structure he'd ever seen, and he thought that the spiked gates were a nice touch. Certainly creepy enough to live up to his expectation for a "dark school for dark boys" as his parents had called it.

Unsure how to greet the other students at the academy, Henry kept his smile on at all times. The others found it odd, but said little. They were all here to learn to become wizards, so why did it matter is one small boy decided to be excessively cheerful?

Henry quickly showed his prowess, mastering complicated spells and injuring more than one classmate in the crossfire.

As fantastic as his powers were, hurting other students was frowned upon.

Each infraction was met with discipline, a slap on the hand or a missed meal.

The punishments did little to curb him. The thrill he felt when he was others writing in pain was worth any punishment the administrators could dole out.

It wasn't until he killed another student that he finally experienced true pain.

Roughly shoved into a dark cell, which he was sure was some sort of dungeon, Henry spent a week in the musty room.

"Nyahaha. Well this is new!"

With little to eat and nothing to do, Henry was pretty sure he was going to die.

However, before he could perish, he was hauled back out of the cell and allowed to return to his classes. He did have to promise to not kill any more students though.

Henry reasoned that he could keep his hands clean of any more deaths. That way he could at least participate in duels, maybe keep the bloodshed to a minimum.

At least until he was allowed on a battlefield.

His return was met with little enthusiasm. His roommate merely glanced at him and noted, "Well looks like you aren't dead."

Beaming, Henry laughed. "Of course not! It's going to take more than that to do me in."

Shrugging, his roommate returned to his studies, leaving Henry to his own devices.

He could follow orders. Clear this place in a few years. Then he'd be allowed to join the ranks of the Plegian army. Henry practically glowed at the thought of being allowed to slaughter countless lives on a daily basis.

Thus he decided to be a good boy, a model student. For the most part.

* * *

AN: An intro? The actual academy starts next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Wind magic, fire magic, lighting magic. All very interesting. Twirling a quill in one hand, Henry sat through yet another elemental magic class.

As the instructor droned on and on about the weapon triangle and the pros of using magic, Henry counted the minutes until he'd be allowed to leave.

He'd already decided what type of magic he'd be using. Dark magic. Something about the horror one's opponent's face showed when dealing with dark magic appealed to him.

But unfortunately, classes were reserved for the upper years. Still a mere third year, Henry would have to wait another term before he'd be presented with a dark tome to call his own.

Until then, the elemental ring of Thoron would have to do.

* * *

Henry had spent the past three years with minor incidents. After the whole "killing another student" fiasco, he'd toned his desire to kill down. The only injuries others had suffered were routine hexes and standard battle practice.

His diligence toward his studies was also paying off, landing him the attention of higher ups who were looking for talented young mages to fill the ranks of the army. They didn't seem to mind the hiccups on his disciplinary records. Henry reasoned that they probably liked his spunk.

* * *

A steady tapping brought Henry out of his musings. Following the noise to its source, Henry saw the ever scowling face of his instructor bearing down on him.

"_So kind of you to join us. Care to repeat what I've been lecturing on for the past hour?" _

Matching her frown with a smile, Henry shook his head. "I haven't been paying attention, but it's the usual stuff right? Maim other people and don't get killed?"

Murmurs filled the class at Henry's latest outburst. But it was commonplace. A day didn't go by without his unusually bubbly and honest quips to dot the passing classes.

Lightly rubbing her temple, the instructor gathered her robes and stalked back to her podium, not bothering to finish the conversation.

Continuing to grin, Henry went back to twirling his quill, only half listening to the theoretical explanations of magic getting drilled into their noggins.

* * *

The dull thuds of books shutting, and students shuffling out of their seats brought Henry out of his daze.

Gathering his own tomes, Henry swept out of the classroom. The day's sessions were over, leaving him with time to do as he pleased.

"Free at last!"

Throwing his arms up to stretch, Henry let out a yawn.

"Boy, those lectures could kill a man. And usually I'm the one doing the killing."

Speaking to no one in particular, Henry strolled down the quickly empting halls, heading towards his shared dorm room.

The airy corridors of the sprawling academy echoed with each step he took. Most of the other students gave him wide breadth, stemming from the fear that Henry would hex them until their grandchildren would feel the curses.

Rumors of hex happy Henry were more than enough to make most too nervous to be around him.

Which was all fine with him. More room for the crows to flock.

Speaking of which, the birds that had followed him had taken permanent residence, often dropping in through the window of his tower room.

Humming as he took the spiraling staircase, Henry ran ideas for a few new hexes through his head.

"Hmm.. spell that could make someone just explode, now that sounds exciting!"

Filing the thought away for later, he pushed aside the heavy door to the room.

He was greeted by a chorus of caws, courtesy of a pair of large black birds perching on the window sill.

They continued to flap and caw until a figure sprawled face first on one of the beds groaned and flung a pillow at the birds. This only made the birds cry out in alarm and renew their calls.

Sitting up at last, the dark haired boy shot a glare at the birds currently circling the room before leveling his gaze with the other mage.

"Ooh Cet, you look like you're about to curse me! Is it time for a wizard fight already?"

Raising his arm, Henry allowed the birds to land, stroking their glossy feathers to quiet them.

Rolling his eyes, the other ran his hands over his face in exasperation. But as irritated as he seemed, Cet was the only student willing to room with Henry. Insane, the other students called him. He shrugged it off. 'Probably' was the only answer he gave.

Rising, Cet strode over to his desk to absentmindedly sort through the papers scattered across the surface. "I thought about it. But I'm not that stupid." Shoving the parchment towards a pile growing in the corner, he glanced at the mage currently cooing at the birds on his arm.

"The last time someone crossed you, you sent them to the hospital ward for weeks."

Shooing the birds out the window, Henry grinned. "I was just returning a favor! Sending a curse back to the owner, and adding a little something extra." Wiggling his fingers at Cet, Henry broke out into laugher at the memory.

"You're impossible."

"Maybe I'm a lost CAWse!" Giggling, Henry's laugher only grew when he saw the stony look the other was giving him.

He continued laughing until a small smile threatened to break the scowl on Cet's face.

As offsetting as Henry was, he had to admit that the pale mage was incredibly cheerful. An odd mix with the otherwise ruthless personality. An acquired taste. One that he'd have to room with for the next three years.

**  
AN: Not much happened? New roommate tho. Cet isn't going to be eating up too much of the word count, not to worry.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Blinking, Henry let a smile slowly creep onto his face, sharply contrasting against the looks of horror on the other student's faces. He lowered his hand, the form of his opponent appearing from his previously obscured vision. The other mage was clutching his side, trying in vain to staunch the flow of blood that was steadily staining his robes. Henry tilted his head, watching in fascination as the drops seeped between the other wizard's hand and ran down his shaking fingers.

"I'd say I won this match, wouldn't you?"

Looking up at Henry, his opponent raised his free hand, feebly signaling his defeat. As he surrendered, healers quickly entered the ring, hastily applying their magic to the boy's side. Henry watched for a moment, the glow of the healing staffs bathing the arena blue, before spinning on his heel and turning towards the instructor currently taking note of their session. The instructor looked up from scratching notes onto a large form, and flicked his eyes towards the young mage beaming up towards him. Sighing through his nose, the older wizard signaled for the class to leave.

* * *

"Boy, I love dueling days!" Henry practically skipped his way down the halls, still buzzing from being able to finally put his magic to practical use.

Cet rolled his eyes. "You and every mage who doesn't have to fight you." Whatever unlucky student that was pitted against Henry during the weekly dueling session no doubt had an upcoming visit to the infirmary, or a just mildly life threatening injury if they were lucky. Cet had been lucky enough to only face Henry a few times. He'd gotten away with a few burns, having dueled Henry in their earlier academy days. Even though their magic had been weaker, Henry had established that he was a force to be reckoned with, a merciless force. But dueling partners cycled, and by some miracle, Cet had yet to face Henry in recent years. The students foolish enough to challenge Henry to a rematch all regretted the decision. Even if they won, they walked away with more injuries than they could have bargained for.

Henry only offered up a grin to Cet, in no way put back by his roommate's claim. "Can't blame them, I hate ouchies too." Which was why he made sure to inflict as much pain as possible to stop his opponents from hurting him. Though, the occasional hit brought a thrill to him. An opponent that could hold their own was always exciting, if a bit troublesome to take care of.

"Your weekly bloodbaths are the reason why you're always last to go you know. Keep that trouble for the end of class." It was easier to deal with the most mangled students at the end, not interrupting the flow of the duels, and allowing the medics to focus their energy on the student who needed it the most.

Henry shrugged. "I don't mind."

"Of course you don't. We've had this conversation before."

"Then why bring it up? Kinda dull hearing the same thing isn't it? Nyahaha!" Henry cheekily quipped back, before laughing. He sped up his pace, grabbing the other at the elbow to drag him along. "We're going to be late for sword practice. Hurry up!"

Trying not to fall, Cet let himself be led by the merry mage. Henry didn't seemed to be worried about the student he'd probably just gravely injured, so he wouldn't dwell on it either. And he was right, the two would be late for their next class if they didn't hurry. Although their training focused on magic, it would be stupid to not teach them to be at least halfway decent with other weapons. Rounding corners and pushing past other students, the pair made an odd sight. A scowling mage being pulled around by his beaming companion. One frowning because of the impending chaos that might occur in class, and the other all too excited to cause it.

Henry didn't mean to cause as much of a commotion as he did. But practical combat days were his favorites. One of the few times that he was allowed to go all out against his classmates. The bloodshed and panic were mere side effects that occurred. One that Henry quite enjoyed. He was a lousy archer, he'd leave the ranged fighting for spells. But he was a fair sword fighter, a few months into learning how to fight on a mount. Henry's affinity with animals helped with this. Though people might be wary of him, animals had to qualms being around the mage.

Making their ways to the grounds, the two joined ranks with the other students milling around the arena. The field was set up with wooden blocks, practice dummies to be slashed at. Smile still intact, Henry did nothing to show his disappointment. Hacking at the other students would be much more fun. But he couldn't have everything.

The instructor soon arrived, telling the students to find a weapon and pick a practice block to train with. Henry dutifully did as he was told, all the while imagining how much better if it would be if there were allowed to practice against each other, possibly staining their swords with blood as sharp as the iron of their weapons. Keeping the thoughts to himself, he hacked at the wood, chips flying off as he slashed into the block.

* * *

"Gods, I'm exhausted." Flopping onto his bed, Henry let one arm dangle off the side. Hours of swordplay wasn't something he was used to, and today's practice was a bit more intense than the usual session.

Tossing his cape aside, Cet heavily landed on his own bed. Today's sessions were draining. Regular lessons, the duels, topped off with sword practice. Luckily they had the next day off. But seeing as he could barely lift his arms, he didn't see how he could enjoy the free time. "Kill me. I can't feel my arms."

Raising the arm dangling off the bed and pointing his hand at Cet, Henry propped his head up with his other arm. "I've got just the hex! It's great for mortally wounded guys who want a quick end. Care to test it out?" Henry asked in all seriousness while smiling at his roommate.

Turning his head to look at Henry, Cet fixed him with a look of exasperation. "Alright, let me rephrase that. Kill me, if I'm mortally wounded and dying already."

"Can do buddy!"

Breathing though his nose, Cet snorted, rolling to face the wall. "Night."

* * *

AN: Sorry for the gap between updates. This feels a lot like a bunch of vaguely connected one shots rather than an actual plot. whoops.


	4. Chapter 4

"Henry get them out of here."

"Awh come on, they're just friendly."

"Henry, they are nesting."

"And who said love was dead?"

"Henry _please._" Voice straining to keep calm while arguing with his roommate, Cet pleaded with Henry to kick out the crows that were taking up residence in their room. The occasional bird roosting in the corner he could tolerate, but the prospect of playing host to a couple planning to raise a family was too much.

Henry watched as Cet buried his face in his hands, refusing to even took at the birds that were currently building a nest. Opening a window, Henry gently nudged the birds out, shooing them until they were out and away. This he managed with only a few indignant caws and nips to his fingers but he ultimately succeeded. "Just because you said please." Grinning, he plucked at the stray feathers they had wound up in his hair while he'd evicted the birds.

Letting out a sigh, in both distress and relief, Cet pulled his hands down until they were just covering his mouth, the look in his eyes clearly showing that he was harboring the deepest of scowls.

"Your face is going to stick like that if you keep it up." Henry teased, his smile a sharp contrast to the stony expression settling on the other's face.

"You smile enough for both of us." Cet shook his head, tossing off the covers he'd been under and stretching. It was too early to be up. It was barely dawn, and on a day void of classes no less. He stretched, a yawn escaping. A glare at Henry was a wasted effort, so he saved his energy for throwing on a shirt and slumping into a chair.

His head had barely hit the tabletop when a weight thumped against the back of his chair and he was shoved into the edge of the table. Winded, he sat up, this time shooting a glare at Henry. But the mage in question had already moved on, excitedly packing a bag and pulling on his boots.

Only half curious as to what his roommate was doing, Cet took the time to press his forehead against the wood grain of his desk, committing himself to forgetting the past ten minutes of his life.

But the dream was short lived when he was pulled out of his seat, and dragged over to the door. To exasperated to ask Henry what he wanted, Cet waited for the mage to explain himself. He didn't have to wait long, and Henry launched into his spiel.

"No classes today!" Henry gestured towards the open window. "Which means.." He waited for Cet to finish his sentence.

"I get to sleep in." Cet blinked slowly, not at all ready to go anywhere when the sun had just barely crept over the horizon.

"That's right, we can go out to explore the town!" Not at all phased, Henry opened their heavy door and bounded down a few steps before calling back. "Bring a cloak, it's chilly today."

Letting out a slow breath through his nose, Cet rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hasn't noticed that his teeth that been gritted, and he sighed before grabbing a cloak and wrapping it around his shoulders before heading down the stairs himself.

When he reached the bottom of the staircase, he found Henry fiddling with the strap of his bag, patiently waiting for him to show up. And when Cet did arrive, he cracked a wide grin before heading towards the school's entrance.

"Just know that I'm following you to make sure you don't cause any trouble." Henry was already several strides ahead, a bounce in his step and a smile no doubt plastered over his face. "Hey, are you listening to me?"

To this, Henry simply passed the imposing gates and gave a loud whoop before laughing. Cet ran over all the things that could go wrong and decided to abandon the list. Might as well enjoy the time out. Given, it seemed like they were the only ones out at the moment, given the ungodly hour.

* * *

The walk to town was short, with Henry chattering most of the way. His enthusiasm was contagious, and Cet found it hard to keep scowling as his friend prattled on about how great it was that they had free time, but disappointing that they wouldn't be able to spar with their classmates.

They entered the town, the streets filling with vendors setting up their carts for the day. The buildings were still closed, but the street side establishments were already ready to cater to the shopkeepers and others who had already risen.

Pulling his cloak closer around him, Cet kept the breeze blowing through from chilling him. Henry didn't mind the cool, his cheer enough to keep him warm. Glancing from stand to stand Cet saw freshly cut flowers and foods, assorted trinkets and goods. The food was enough to set his stomach growling, and he realized that they'd skipped grabbing breakfast before leaving the academy.

Henry had already covered this though, tossing a steaming bun at Cet with a smile. Rolling his eyes, Cet bit into the soft bread. It was the least Henry could do.

Noticing that his roommate had stopped by one of the stands, he caught up, wondering what had caught the mage's attention. "What, did you find an arms dealer?"

"Even better!" Henry was practically chirping, holding out a dark book, embossed with swirling runes that gleamed faintly in the weak light. "It's a tome, and a dark one at that." He was already flipping through the pages, running his hand down the creamy pages.

The vendor raised an eyebrow. "Interested kid? It's pretty high level stuff."

"Absolutely! I'll take it." Pulling out his pouch of gold, Henry paid for the tome and shoved it into his bag, already moving on. Leaving no room for Cet to intercept, Henry put some distance between them.

"Henry?" Cet wasn't far behind, grabbing Henry's arm. "You know that's not allowed. We don't get these tomes until we're upper years." Not that he particularly cared for the rules set on them, but a book like this in Henry's hands was no small matter.

"Lighten up Cet. No one's going to find out." Patting his bag, Henry slyly glanced at the dark haired mage. "Right?"

Sensing the hidden threat, Cet weighed his options. Tell the faculty and eliminate the possibility of Henry using the tome in their room, but risk Henry casting some equally horrifying hex on him anyways. Henry keeping the book and a gruesome accident happening, the faculty confiscating the book and possible reprimanding.

Seeing as one path lead to imminent death, he sarcastically drew his fingers over pursed lips and threw an imaginary key away. Neither option was fantastic, but he felt he wasn't going to win in either situation.

Thumping Cet's back, Henry smiled, all too happy with the outcome. "I knew you would see it my way."

* * *

The rest of their time was spent relatively uneventfully. Even if they did see classmates, a simple nod was all they shared to acknowledge each other. And as the hours passed, a mass of dark clouds passed overhead, keeping the sun from casting its light.

As if the townsfolk could sense the rain, many headed indoors, the students from the academy included. And no sooner did the first people seek cover, a steady downpour fell, heavy drops pelting the ground. Undeterred, Henry walked on, one hand occasionally slipping into his bag to check if the tome was still there.

Trying to keep out of the way of the people trying to get into buildings, Cet watched his step, and brushed against a hooded figure, and as he turned to apologize he froze. From their brief contact, Cet felt the unmistakable shape of a sword strapped against the figures leg.

"He looks like he doesn't belong here, don't you think?" Glancing up, Cet couldn't answer, Henry already trailing behind the hooded figure hurrying through the crowd. The streets were sparse, but it still took him a moment to glimpse the mage's pale hair slipping into an alley. Not good.

He quickly followed, determined to grab Henry and get them back to a more populated area. Jogging over, he ran a hand over the brick sides of the small side street, unable to find a trace of his friend. He hesitated before ducking in, trotting quickly over the stone paved way.

"Henry?" He called out softly, hoping to get out of the alley as quickly as possible. He heard steps behind him, and turned around, expecting to see his exuberant roommate. Instead he saw a gloved hand that wrapped around him throat before taking them both to the ground.

He struggled to break free of his attacker's grasp, thrashing his arms before having one pinned to the ground and the other roughly stepped on. Resorting to kicking, he attempted to throw the larger man off, but to no avail. The hooded figure easily weighed more than he did and as it became harder to breathe he wondered if this was here he was going to die. "_Thanks Henry._" Cet weakly spat out, his voice already weak.

A flash of swirling purple, and the weight was lifted. Coughing, Cet drew in air, getting to an elbow before his arm was thrown other a shoulder and he was helped up.

"Good thing I bought that tome, huh Cet?" Like a sun blazing in the dark, Henry was beaming, too pleased with himself. In one hand was the dark spell book that Henry had purchased, the residue of the spell still leaving swirls of dark magic around the covers.

Cet ran a hand over his throat, not sure if he could speak. Henry was too fixated on the figure on the ground, who was cradling his shoulder, a nasty cut on his forehead causing blood to drip down his face.

Henry took a step forward, smiling down at the figure with a look that was anything but friendly. "Now, what do we do with you?"

* * *

AN: A long overdue update. Thanks for waiting!


	5. Chapter 5

Their opponent was obviously skilled. Even under Henry's gaze, the hooded man was unfazed, leaping back to his feet and pulling out his sword in one smooth movement. But before he could take more than a step forward, Cet intercepted, using his cloak to take the brunt of the thrust. He could feel the steel tearing through the lining and silently made a note to pass the bill to Henry. But even as he grumbled internally, he twisted his arm, wrapping the sword in the folds of fabric and wrestling the weapon from their attacker. The wound on the hooded man's shoulder was being anything but kind, and Cet found it surprisingly easy to break the man's hold.

Throwing the cloak to the ground and taking the sword in hand, Cet was able to clear the immediate space between them. And before Henry could try for a second attack with his new tome, Cet knocked his arm aside. "How are you going to explain that spiffy new book to the teachers once they show up?" Hissing at his roommate, Cet took up arms. Of the two, he was better in terms of physical strength.

Henry managed a nod, not one too happy, but nonetheless stashed the book back into his bag. In its place he pulled up a scrap of paper, one with a simple rune for a wind spell etched across the folded expanse. Cet lunged in to take a stab at the man, the hit easily blocked by am armor clad hand. And as quickly as he struck, Cet dodged behind Henry, who replaced him in an instant, blasting their foe with a seamless wind spell. The gust whipped around them, and hit the hooded attacker full force, casting him straight out of the alley and into the streets.

By now the rain was steady, pounding the ground in rhythm, but the three locked in battle barely noticed anything. Neither the cold water nor the slightly panicked crowd around them. But before either side could make a move, a third party entered, a flash of lightning that momentarily blinded the students with the sheer force in which it slammed into the hooded man. Daring to peel his eyes from their enemy, Cet sought the source of the lighting.

It came to no surprise that the billowing cloaks of one of the academy's faculty stood in their way, an indifferent look cast the man now twitching on the ground. Henry and Cet both froze when the older mage met both their eyes, wondering if they were the next targets. But they were simply given nods. And as the mage moved forward, a party of others materialized, swarming and apprehending the now unconscious man.

One of the passing mages gave the pair instructions to head back to their dorms. Not wanting to question their superiors, the pair nodded and took off, only giving a passing glance at the man they were leaving behind. They were out of the town by the time they noticed that they had been running, and the two slowed their pace.

"Well that was no fun." Henry was pouting, mulling over the fact that he hadn't been able to use his new tome more than once, and for having his opponent taking from him. As he childishly kicked at one of the rocks on the path they were taking, Cet sighed.

"You owe me a new cloak."

"You did that yourself." Henry cheekily replied, seeming to forget the woes he was going over not seconds ago.

"Protecting you yeah. Maybe next time I'll let them have at you." Cet knew that he wasn't as heartless as to let his friend take a blade to the stomach. As much as the pale mage enjoyed inflicting pain, Cet knew that he wasn't a fan of being on the receiving end.

"So there will be a next time?" Henry ignored Cet's threat to leave him to fend for himself and was nearly bouncing, already thinking of their future adventures.

Clicking his tongue, Cet didn't answer him, merely flicking the water from his eyes as the pair made it through the gates of the academy. As they'd been instructed to return to their rooms, they headed straight back. Upon entering, Cet peeled his mud splattered boot from his feet and set them by the door. Cleaning that was a problem for later. Though he had no visible cuts, he could feel a few bruises forming on his back and arms. Grabbing a clean set of clothes he waved at Henry, signaling that he'd be taking a bath before anything else.

Henry too had taken his shoes off, haphazardly tossing them aside along with his cloak, which was hung over a chair and dripping water all over the floor. He was more interested in checking on the state of his purchase than taking care of himself first. Wiping some of the water from his bag, Henry pulled aside the clasp and took out the tome. It was still in pristine condition, perhaps a bit damp from being out in the rain, but otherwise fine. Suspecting that the events of their excursion to town would require a debriefing, Henry wisely decided to put away the tome for now.

Opening one of the drawers in his desk, he quickly emptied the contents, sheets of paper fluttering the ground and soaking up the puddles forming around his cloak. Stuffing the book into its new home, he shut the drawer and rifled through another to find a key to lock it. With little difficulty he pulled out the metal key, and pushed it into the slot, turning it to the side and hearing the telltale click. No sooner had he done so, a definite knock on the chamber door was hear.

With Cet already taking a bath, Henry was the only one to open the door. As he did so, the tall figure of the same professor that they'd met in town filled the doorframe. Henry lightly ran his tongue over his teeth, only the slightest hesitation before beaming up at his professor with a smile. "What can I do for you?"

* * *

Running a towel through his damp hair, Cet stepped out of the bathroom to see that Henry was in conversation with a professor. Bowing his head slightly to apologize for intruding, his eyes flicked from the door to the pair seated at Henry's desk. But the professor rose, again giving a slight nod to him before patting Henry' shoulder and leaving the room.

"I give it they don't need to talk to me?" Cet ventured to ask, the answering seemingly obvious.

"They said that I went over it well enough." Grinning at Cet, Henry sniffled and sneezed. Still in his wet clothes, Henry had been chilled to the bone. Shivering, he got up and grabbed his own dry set of clothes and took his turn in the bathroom, glad that the Cet's own bath had warmed the room considerably.

As Henry was out of the picture, Cet finally noticed the state of their room. Henry's side was a mess, and Cet glanced at the bathroom door, momentarily considering letting Henry pick up after himself. But Henry had more or less saved him today, so he figured that he could do his roommate a favor.

Gathering up the sopping papers, Cet tossed them into the trash bin, the water he mopped up with the towel he'd been using. With that done, he tossed both the towel and Henry's cloak into the bin reserved for laundry. It was a quick job, and about all he was able to manage. The bath had left him drowsy, and the events of the day had tired him out more than he had realized.

Though the sun had no even begun to set, Cet decided to call it a night, thanking the higher powers that no assignments were due the next day. Flopping into his bed, he rolled under his sheets, waiting for the cold fabric to warm up as he lay underneath them. But before he could feel them heat to a comfortable temperature he drifted off the sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

The day was fairly uneventful. But with the excitement from the other day, Cet was counting his blessings, all too ready to settle back into the routine that the school offered. But even as this went through his mind, he couldn't help but snort. The routine he went through every day, what all of the students went through, was to prepare them for the type of action he'd scraped by just the day before. What kind of fool was he if he found pleasure in a peaceful day and was training to become a soldier. He probably should have considered that before voluntarily committing. But as it was too late to go back, he resigned himself. The perks that came with pledging himself to Plegia certainly helped at home. As his home was close to the border of Ylisse, he considered himself lucky to have made it through.

Though, if they had come out of war and were settling for peace, why was it that they were raising yet another army? It wasn't something he had any business or power over, so he went back to taking notes. No doubt Henry was going to ask for at least a portion of them. He might as well prepare for the inevitable.

* * *

Sighing as he halfheartedly ran his quill over the page, Henry spared a glance towards Cet. Seeing as his roommate was diligently taking notes, he decided that he could afford to with his scribbling. In the margins of his notes, Henry traced the runes that he remembered seeing in the tome he'd purchased. Though he left it locked in a drawer, when time permitted he'd taken a closer look at the pages. Getting a head start on material he'd learn eventually wasn't all that bad.

The power he'd felt when he'd used the spells had been intoxicating, and he was surprised at how easily he'd been able to use them. He paused as a thought occurred. Whoever had attacked Cet would certainly be interrogated. If he let slip that Henry had used dark magic, he too would be under closer scrutiny. He chewed his lip, wondering what type of trouble he'd be in. But the main concern with younger students using more advanced spells was the chance that they'd end up injuring themselves.

He'd be fine. Probably.

* * *

The class ended soon enough. As chairs scraped against stone floors, and pages rustled, the class steadily left the room. Henry caught Cet's eye, and gave an enthusiastic wave as if they'd been separated by more than a couple seats. Bet before Cet could even roll his eyes, their instructor gave a cough to catch their attention. Both students looked up, realizing that they were some of the only ones left in the room. Their professor waved off one of the other students still lingering.

As the heavy wooden door shut, Cet walked out towards the aisle between the desks, leaning against one of the tables, a picture of indifference Henry still had a smile on his face, unfazed. It was a common expression for both of them. It was almost legendary how odd it was, the pair that shouldn't be friends but were.

Steepling his fingers, the professor set both with looks of mild interest. "Cet. Decent work in class today. And Henry. Thank you for showing up." His idle comments merited the smallest of nods from Cet, and a slight quirk of an eyebrow from Henry.

"But you two would be interested more in what your little friend had to say to us last night."

Henry had been expecting this conversation, and shrugged. It had been foolish of him to think that it would take longer than a day. Cet on the other hand, merely flicked his eyes from Henry to the professor, before it slowly dawned on him where this might be heading.

Too happy to take the bait, Henry rested his cheek on a fist. "And here I thought I'd knocked him to the next realm. Don't suppose you'll be taking points off from me for not taking him out?"

Ignoring Henry, the professor continued. "Interestingly enough, he mentioned being hit by some dark magic. And not my own. Care to explain?"

It wasn't a question, and Cet wondered if it fell on him to explain. He opened his mouth, but found that not real answer was ready. He sighed to fill the gap in conversation.

"Ah that? Nyahaha, that'd be me." Cheerfully answering, Henry twirled one of his fingers in the air. "You wouldn't believe how fun that was." Remembering that Cet was still in the room, he continued. "Cet didn't have anything to do with it though. He's a bit too good with swords to be slinging magic around as well as I do."

Letting the stab at him slide, Cet grudgingly noted that Henry was trying divert any blame from him. Might as well play up the story. It would be useless trying to lie anywyas. "We found a tome in the marketplace. On dark magic. Turned out to be useful."

The professor nodded, as he were hearing information he'd already heard before. "Well. That saves us some trouble. Henry, you're to bring this tome to advanced spell classes. As you seem to have already decided for yourself, the lessons you receive now are child's play. It would be foolish to keep you here."

Rising, the professor addressed Cet. "You certainly don't lack potential. But you do lack drive. Perhaps you wouldn't mind staying where you are now."

Cet shook his head. He wasn't aching to take leaps and bounds with his magic, knowing that the sooner he was out of the academy, the sooner he'd be joining the ranks of an army. Let Henry do what he would. There was only so much he could do to keep his roommate from trouble.

"Excellent. Henry, you start tomorrow. Instead of this class, it will the class with the third years." Waving a hand, a gust of wind blew open the heavy doors. "Dismissed."

Glad to have received no punishment, Cet didn't look back, walking out of the room before breaking into a quick walk, knowing that any loitering would mean he'd be tardy to class. Henry caught up on his own, the excitement practically making the air around him buzz.

Henry strode ahead of Cet, bursting through the doors to their next class, twirling as he swept pass classmates, caught up in his own revelry to mind them. Cet took his seat net to Henry, setting his bag down and hoping that in the same way that Henry's smile wasn't infectious, his passive face would be.

No sooner had class started, quizzes were handed down, and the atmosphere mellowed dramatically. This day was just full of surprises.

* * *

AN: Hey Guest, sorry about the lack of updates. Afraid work and getting things ready for AX take a precedent. But what about those FE: Fates updates? That's pretty exciting stuff too.


	7. Chapter 7

Merits of being in a more advanced class, more practical work. Downside, trouble finding the classroom. Luckily, Henry had left early, intent on giving himself enough time to find both the room and his seat. The tome that had lead to him transferring into said class was tucked into his bag, and he was already dying to put it to use.

Another corner turned and Henry was greeted by a long hall with door that ran the length of the corridor. All imposing wooden doors, each was marked by a small metal plaque that numbered the rooms. He read the inscription by the doors as he passed by, until he found one that matched the number scrawled on the piece of parchment in his hand. Deciding it was the right room, he pulled the handle, striding in with confidence.

It was a mostly empty room, and the few students that were already in their seats hardly spared him a glance. Which was fine with him. Making friends had less priority than learning. And besides, he'd probably be pitted against these very people in an arena soon enough. The thought was exciting, and he hoped that by that time he'd be in good enough shape to avoid injury himself while dishing out as much as possible to his opponent.

His footsteps sounded against the stone floor, and he made his way to the professor's desk. The ancient mage shuffled through the papers on his desk, and after a minute of ignoring Henry, he finally looked at the young mage. Flicking his eyes from the documents to Henry, the old man finally cleared his throat. "The transfer I take it?"

"Yes sir!" While the old mage spoke slowly, Henry replied as quickly as he could, eager to get the ball rolling.

The old mage got to his feet, his height impressive and towering. "Your lapse in rule following may have been beneficial but understand, break any of mine and you will not be welcome back."

The warning was clear, deliberate, and Henry was more than happy to oblige. He was fine with following any rules, as long as they weren't overly stupid. Nodding, Henry smiled and nodded.

Returning Henry's nod with a curt one of his own, the professor waved for his student to take a seat.

Bubbling with excitement, Henry took an empty seat in the middle of the room. The room had filled in the brief time that he had been speaking with the professor, and Henry took note that the other students side eyed him with mild curiosity or otherwise ignored him altogether. Hardly interested with what they were thinking, he plunked down in his chair and reached for his tome, hoping that they would be going over the advanced and intricate runes running across the pages.

However, no sooner had he brushed the spine of the book, the professor cleared his throat, and advised his class to prepare to take notes. And without further warning, he launched into a lecture that spanned the entire class period.

* * *

"What were you expecting exactly?" Glancing at Henry, who was frowning at the sheets of papers strewn across his desk, Cet laughed through his nose.

"It was just lecturing for more than an hour straight."

Sighing, Cet continued drawing his quill across a fresh sheet of parchment, devoting half of his attention to his assignment and the other half to listening to his apparently devastated roommate. "It's a miracle you actually paid attention well enough to take notes."

Sitting straight, Henry spun in his chair so that he was facing Cet. "It was interesting enough. But something more exciting would have been better."

Cet simply shrugged, dipping his quill into a bottle of ink before starting a new line.

"If they're going to have me in a higher class you'd think that they'd move past the theory and go into practice. You won't be calculating trajectories when you're on a battle field."

Setting down his quill, Cet finally turned to face Henry. The other mage was pouting, the slight frustration dancing through his mind playing across his face as well. Chewing his bottom lip, Cet toyed with the idea of giving Henry a simple answer to deflect the conversation. But instead, he opted to let his honest opinion show through. "Henry, I don't see the point of this. I never have. What's the point of learning how to fight if we're in a time of peace? The war's been over and unless Plegia is getting ready for another one, I don't see why we need scores of mages ready to fill up the ranks of an army that hasn't seen an active field in over a decade."

A slight smile crossed Henry's face before it split into laughter. "It almost sounded like you cared about what happened to us for a second there. What happened to being stoic?" Getting up, Henry took small steps towards Cet. "Are you scared? Don't you like a good fight?" With each question, he took a step forward, before finally using a cold hand to brush up Cet's dark hair from his face. "You aren't afraid of getting your hands dirty are you?" Peering into Cet's eyes, Henry's usually hidden eyes bore into his roommates, unblinking.

The tension in the air had spiked considerably, and Cet had known that with his loaded observation, there was bound to be an answer to match. But the ferocity in Henry's eyes threw him off. The glint was malicious. Slapping away Henry's hand, Cet scowled. "Forget it. My mistake for asking. Let's go blind into whatever they want after we get out of here."

"Awh, don't get angry."

"I'm not." Hardly convincing, Cet turned back to his desk, staring down at his already completed work. He clicked his tongue in disgust once before settling back into his usual calm. It wasn't worth getting worked up over if the other party didn't care who was getting hurt as long as he got to do the hurting.

"Don't keep it bottled up."

Snorting, Cet cast one look at Henry before rolling his eyes. "Says the one who doesn't know how to give a genuine smile."

"Besides the point." Already back to his usual cheerful self, Henry returned to his side of the room, carefully gathering his scattered notes and settling them neatly into a stack.

"Just change the subject."

"Alright, fair enough." Since they'd started off talking about his day, Henry decided to direct the conversation to how Cet had faired that day. "You didn't miss me too much in class did you?"

Snapping his books shut, Cet didn't honor Henry's question with any more emotion in his voice that usual. "Fine actually. And it turns out I'm not the only one who got placed in a new class."

"Oooh, fun! What is it?"

"Strategy."

* * *

AN: Hello! Sorry for the lack of updates. Thank you for waiting!


	8. Chapter 8

"Lucky that they divide us by dorm, right?" Rolling over on his bed, Henry tried to get Cet's attention. Unfortunately, his roommate was too absorbed with giving the papers in front of him a final run over. "Cet, come on. You're taking this too seriously."

Sparing Henry a glance, Cet shuffled his papers together, deciding that there wasn't anything he could do to change them anyways. "The instructors exact words were to 'leave enough of your opponent for us to scrape back together' if I recall. You're taking this too lightly."

Ignoring Cet, Henry continued. "So what if I make my debut on the field in a murder of crows? Wouldn't that be neat?"

"Anyone would faint at the sight." Cet paused, thinking it over. "Actually." He tapped his finger against his desk before penning the suggestion onto a free space on his parchment. "Keep that in mind."

Grinning, Henry gave a mock salute. "Can do Mr. Tactician."

* * *

Their lessons had been progressing as usual, but with the fork in specialization, it was no wonder that the two were taking different classes. The change in pace was expected, but it was furthering them along the path of being full fledged members of an army. One that Cet wasn't quite sure had business existing in the first place.

Henry was proving to be a formidable dark mage in training. Though he was less than pleased with the busy work, Henry breezed through the theoretical and practical aspects of the workings of dark magic. He truly was in his element.

And though Cet was physically stronger than the two, and was a fair rider, he'd also shown an aptitude for deskwork that Henry didn't seem cut out for. Hours of pouring over texts and devising plans was of little difficulty for Cet, and he found himself on course to become a tactician. Far from what he'd imagined he'd be doing, but he didn't resent the idea. Looking at all the possible outcomes of a battle was no more than grand game of chess; and it was one Cet could read as plain as day.

The dynamic was proving to be useful, as the dorms were split into the North and South sides, in preparation for the bi annual practice skirmish. To put what they'd learned in use, academy students were pitted against each other in a mock battle. But it was mock only in the sense that they weren't truly enemies. There were no restrictions on weaponry or combat, so long as death wasn't imminent.

Cet had been surprised to learn that he'd been placed in the unit of tacticians who were essentially in control of the North side. And in his planning, he'd managed to keep his strategies clean; more focused on disabling their opponents to capture them than permanently putting them out of commission. Henry had been a bit disappointed at that, but nonetheless was thrilled that he'd finally be able to be in an actual combat situation. Cet was just hoping that by the end of this, the residents of the Southern dorms would have members still able to make it to class.

* * *

On the morning of the skirmish, Cet took a deep breath and surveyed the field in front of him. The North had set up base on the high hills overlooking a barren rocky plain. It would be easy to spot the enemy as they approached and attempted to capture their banner; but it would also leave them to an open charge if their own troops failed to keep the enemy at bay.

A craggy expanse of rocks was the extent of their battlefield. Large boulders were the only cover offered, and from this, Cet decided that small, quick striking units would be the best. The other tacticians on his team agreed, and in consensus, they passed their plans on the other members of their small army.

He stood in front of a large table in the center of the main tent. Cet was confident in their ability to take the other side. Along with a number of mages, he had control of several cavalry units. Transportation would be quick, and they'd be able to escape tough situations just as easily. Just from who he knew were on the Southern side, he suspected that they would play at the strengths of the students they had. Mainly archers and mages. The arrows would be no less difficult than the magic, offering less diversity in their attack options. Unfortunate for them, but not his problem.

While he was absorbed in his own thoughts, Cet didn't notice Henry waltzing into the tent until the mage slammed his hands on the table to catch Cet's attention.

Snapping his head up, Cet quirked an eyebrow at Henry. "Shouldn't you be out and getting into position?"

Laughing, Henry twirled a finger in the air. "Let's say I've found a way to get a great entrance in."

Cet shook his head, not bothering to ask for an explanation. "As long as you're where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be."

Smiling sweetly, Henry rounded the table. "Have I ever let you down?"

Cet didn't answer, simply waving Henry off. "Come back in one piece."

Grinning, Henry gave the slightest chuckle. "I'd be more concerned about the other guy."

* * *

The battle concluded smoothly, though from then on, rumors of Henry's unorthodox appearance on the field were passed down through the halls of the academy, blending into legend.

Back in their dorms, Cet and Henry were quietly celebrating their sides victory, trying not be look too smug.

"They didn't faint, but they sure were surprised!" Henry was referring to his crows. The burst of black feathers was enough to startle his opponent off his feet, and Henry was merciless in firing a spell his way. The fear he struck in his opponents was pause enough for Henry to get the upper hand. As soon as he'd shown up, the battle seemed to swing their way.

"It really easy. Just. Game, set, match!" Henry laughed, hoping that his roommate appreciated his joke. "Get it? Cet. Cet?"

The dark haired mage sighed, a tired look in his eyes as he used the silence to tell Henry that yes, the pun had not flown over his head. But he did add, "My name is Ceteris.."

"Too long!" Henry chirped, already too fond of the shortened version of the name.

"I'll start calling you Hen."

"I'm no chicken!"

"Have it your way bird boy."


End file.
